Post navigation

Caller ID Spoofing Can Also Include Equifax Data Breach Fraudsters

You recently saw our blog post about Caller ID Spoofing, a new scam where fraudsters fake a company phone number and pretend they are a representative from that organization. This scam can also include fraudsters posing to be Equifax representatives who are calling to confirm stolen information or gain your personal financial information in the wake of the scam.

Ring, ring. “This is Equifax calling to verify your account information.” Stop. Don’t tell them anything. They’re not from Equifax. It’s a scam. Equifax will not call you out of the blue.

That’s just one scam you might see after Equifax’s recent data breach. Other calls might try to trick you into giving your personal information. Here are some tips for recognizing and preventing phone scams and imposter scams:

Don’t give personal information. Don’t provide any personal or financial information unless you’ve initiated the call and it’s to a phone number you know is correct.

Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers can spoof their numbers so it looks like they are calling from a particular company, even when they’re not.

If you get a robocall, hang up. Don’t press 1 to speak to a live operator or any other key to take your number off the list. If you respond by pressing any number, it will probably just lead to more robocalls.

If you gave your personal information to an imposter, it’s time to change any compromised passwords, account numbers or security questions.

Still wondering what to do if you think your personal financial information may have been compromised in the Equifax Data Breach?

Review your credit report. Once a year, you can get a credit report for free by visiting annualcreditreport.com. This will include information from all three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Consider a Credit Freeze. If you aren’t applying for any new loans, consider freezing your credit. This prevents fraudsters from applying for new accounts in your name – while preserving access for lenders you already use. To place a freeze on your credit, you must submit to all three bureaus:

Create a fraud alert. If you opt against a credit freeze, consider putting a fraud alert on file. This will warn creditors that your information was compromised, and require them to verify your identity before establishing any new accounts. Instructions are available here.

Consider a Credit Monitoring Service. If you’re concerned about identity theft, enroll in Sherpa identity theft protection from First Financial. The best part? You can enroll right online, 24/7. You can trust in First Financial and Sherpa to help keep your personal information protected. Packages begin at just $5.99 per month – so click here to enroll today!

More information is available from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau here.